Wireless communication networks are widely deployed to provide communication services to both fixed and mobile devices. These services can include voice, data, video, messaging, web browsing, etc. Wireless communication has certain advantages, such as mobility, over wired communications for accessing a network. Various wireless standards have been adopted or proposed for wireless networks. These standards include 802.11 (WiFi), 802.16 (WiMAX), TIA-856 (which is also known as Evolution-Data Optimized—EV-DO), and long term evolution (LTE). Additional standards such as the fourth generation communication system (4G) are also being pursued.
Because of transmit power regulations, interference, and/or radio wave propagation characteristics, a base station may be unable to provide some wireless devices (a.k.a., user equipment—UE) with coverage and/or a desired level of service (e.g., throughput, packet loss, etc.). One approach to improving coverage and/or service, particularly to user equipment near the edge of, or outside of, a base station's direct coverage area is to relay communication between the base station and a wireless device via a repeater.
One type of repeater (a.k.a. relay node) receives signals on an initial frequency band or carrier. These signals are amplified and then retransmitted on another frequency band or carrier without demodulating, decoding, or otherwise digitally processing the underlying transmitted data. These repeaters may be referred to as heterodyne repeaters since the frequency conversion of the received signal may be translated to the other frequency band using heterodyning. Heterodyning is a technique in which signals are shifted to a new frequency by combining or mixing the input signals with a sine wave of another frequency. Thus, heterodyning is useful for shifting signals into a new frequency range with simple hardware, very little delay, and without complex baseband signal processing. For long term evolution (LTE) specified communication systems, a heterodyne repeater can translate signals on a frequency band associated with a first E-UTRA Absolute radio-frequency channel number (EARFCN) to a second EARFCN (and vice versa).
When used to relay signals between a wireless device and an access node, however, the access node may be unaware that a particular wireless device is communicating via a heterodyne (or frequency shifting) repeater. Thus, the access node may not adequately service the wireless device being relayed.
Overview
In an embodiment, a method of operating a communication system, includes determining that a first wireless device is communicating directly with an access node. In response to determining that the first wireless device is communicating directly with the access node, a first radio resource control configuration is selected to be used to communicate with the first wireless device. The method further includes determining that a second wireless device is communicating with the access node via a heterodyne repeater. In response to determining that the second wireless device is communicating with the access node via the heterodyne repeater, a second radio resource control configuration is selected to be used to communicate with the second wireless device.
In an embodiment, a communication system includes an access node, a heterodyne repeater, and a processor. The access node communicates directly with a first wireless device that is using a first carrier frequency. The heterodyne repeater relays communication between the access node and a second wireless device. The second wireless device communicates with the access node via the heterodyne repeater using a second carrier frequency. The heterodyne repeater translates communication from the access node from the first carrier frequency to the second carrier frequency. The heterodyne repeater also translates communication from the second wireless device from the second carrier frequency to the first carrier frequency. The processor detects that the first wireless device is communicating directly with the access node. In response to detecting that the first wireless device is communicating directly with the access node, the processor selects a first radio resource control configuration to be used by the access node to communicate with the first wireless device. The processor also detects that the second wireless device is communicating with the access node via the heterodyne repeater. In response to determining that the second wireless device is communicating with the access node via the heterodyne repeater, the processor selects a second radio resource control configuration to be used by the access node to communicate with the second wireless device.
In an embodiment, a method of operating a communication system includes determining whether a wireless device is communicating with an access node via a frequency converting repeater. The frequency converting repeater retransmitting air-interface signals received from the access node and the wireless device using air-interface frequencies that are different from the frequencies the access node and the wireless device use to transmit signals. The frequency converting repeater retransmits the signals without demodulating and decoding the signals. Based on a determination that the wireless device is communicating with the access node via the frequency converting repeater, a radio resource control configuration adapted for communication via the frequency converting repeater is applied to communication with the wireless device.